The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and associated method of editing content. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a computer-implemented process for facilitating editing or production functions.
A playback apparatus configured to reproduce multimedia content of a recording medium, such as an optical disc, has been known. Such a playback apparatus displays an index of thumbnails (scaled-down images) corresponding to respective portion of video data recorded on a recording medium. These thumbnails are typically displayed on a monitor so that a user can easily select a desired portion of video data from among a plurality of portions of video data recorded on the recording medium. After the user selects a desired thumbnail from the index of thumbnails displayed on the monitor, the playback apparatus reproduces video data corresponding to the selected thumbnail from the recording medium so as to play back and display the video data.
For example, when the video data used herein is compressed by an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) method or the like, a drive of the playback apparatus reads a predetermined unit of respective portions of video data that is recorded on a recording medium loaded on the drive, for example, reads 1 GOP (group of pictures), which corresponds to about 10 frames. Then, a playback unit of the playback apparatus decodes the video data portion read. Then, the playback apparatus transfers the extracted frame video data to a video processing unit. The playback apparatus processes the frame video data in the video processing unit to reduce a picture size, so that a thumbnail (thumbnail data) is generated. Then, the playback apparatus displays an index of thumbnails corresponding to the respective portions of video data generated in the above-described manner on a monitor.
If the portions of video data recorded on the recording medium are so numerous that all thumbnails cannot be displayed on the monitor at one time (on one screen), the playback apparatus allows the monitor to display only a page of the index of the thumbnails (thumbnails that can be displayed on one screen) and changes pages to be displayed in response to instructions from a user. That is, in this case, the playback apparatus performs the above-described processes including reading, decoding, extraction of frame video data, transfer, and change of a size on each portion of video data in order to display thumbnails, every time the user inputs instructions of changing pages to be displayed. Then, the playback apparatus generates an image to be displayed (an index of thumbnails) by using the generated thumbnails and displays the index on the monitor.
A method for managing a backup of video data by using such thumbnails is disclosed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-6213). In Patent Document 1, a personal computer (PC) 80 operated by a user obtains second file information recorded in a recording unit 986 of a server 90 to which video data is backed up. Then, the PC 80 compares the second file information with first file information recorded in a recording unit 886 of the PC 80. As a result of the comparison, if it is determined that a main image that has been newly recorded in the recording unit 986 of the server 90 is not recorded in the PC 80, the PC 80 requests a scaled-down image of the main image to the server 90. The server 90 creates a scaled-down image based on the main image in response to the request and supplies scaled-down image data to the PC 80. The PC 80 receives the supplied scaled-down image data and records it in the recording unit 886. In other words, the PC 80 obtains a scaled-down image of a main image from the server 90 and manages it if the PC 80 does not have the main image among portions of video data stored in the server 90. The server 90 creates a scaled-down image based on a main image every time the PC 80 requests it and supplies the image to the PC 80.
However, in the above-described method of displaying an index of thumbnails performed in the playback apparatus, the playback apparatus must create a thumbnail every time a new thumbnail is to be displayed on the monitor. Since this process involves complicated operations as described above, response time from input of instructions of changing thumbnails by the user until completion of the process is long. Accordingly, the user cannot easily select a desired portion of video data from among a plurality of portions of video data.
More specifically, when the user inputs instructions to change thumbnails to be displayed, the playback apparatus performs the above-described processes including: reading moving picture data; decoding the moving picture data; extracting frame video data; transferring the frame video data; converting an image size; and generating an output image, so as to create a screen of an index of thumbnails for display to the screen. This processing causes an undesirable delay in device operation.
This is the same for the above-described case of managing a backup of video data. That is, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-6213, the server 90 creates a scaled-down image based on a main image and supplies it every time the PC 80 requests video data. This involves the above-described complicated processes, so that response time from when the PC 80 requests a scaled-down image until when the server 90 supplies is poor. Therefore, the PC 80 (or a user of the PC 80) has to wait repeatedly until this processing completes.
On the other hand, thumbnail data may be prepared in advance. In such a case, however, the amount of data to be processed increases in accordance with the amount of thumbnail data. For example, when data is recorded on a recording medium, thumbnail data must be recorded in addition to necessary main video data in the recording medium, which increases an occupied recording area in the recording medium.
The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances and is directed to enabling a user to easily select a desired portion of video data from among a plurality of portions of video data without increasing an amount of data to be processed.